If a person has a hernia, they may suffer from pain, organ dysfunction, bowel obstruction, or other complications. This occurs when an organ protrudes through the wall that normally contains it. Hernias can occur in a number of parts of the body, and occur commonly in the abdomen. For example, the peritoneum that lines the abdomen may push out through a weakened area of the abdominal wall to form a small balloon-like sac. This can allow a loop of intestine or abdominal tissue to push into the sac.
One method of hernia repair involves using a surgical procedure known as laparoscopy to cover the hernia with a prosthetic mesh and fix it in place with fasteners. The fasteners are delivered by a fastening device configured to reach into the abdominal cavity through an incision. A surgeon inserts surgical implements as well as a laparoscope—a small telescope with a camera attached—through small incisions made in the skin, allowing the surgical fastener to be inserted and directed to the hernia. Unfortunately, fastening a hernia mesh via laparoscopic access is fraught with problems. Fasteners do not always fully close properly in the right position and orientation to fasten the mesh properly. If the surgeon realizes this during the procedure, additional fasteners may be deployed. However, an overabundance of foreign objects is thought to contribute greatly to patient pain. If the surgeon does not realize that some of the fasteners have failed to fasten, then the entire procedure may require a do-over.